Actor Masahiro Higashide has won the Best Actor Award at the 33rd Japan Film Critics Awards, which honors Japanese films released in 2023. His performance in the film ‘Winny’ was particularly praised.
This film award was established in 1991 by the late Haruo Mizuno, along with the late Nagaharu Yodogawa and the late Kazuko Komori, who were leading film critics at the time. This award, given by filmmakers to filmmakers, garners significant attention each year due to its prestige and credibility.
Kenio Matsuzaki, a selection committee member, explained the reasons for Higashide’s selection on the official website. Despite the limited availability of footage and audio recordings of Isamu Kaneko, the developer of ‘Winny,’ Higashide’s portrayal was so convincing that it moved Kaneko’s relatives to tears.
“There is an uncanny coincidence in the lives of Isamu Kaneko, who was vilified during the Winny incident, and Masahiro Higashide, who faced backlash due to his own scandal, intersecting through the film ‘Winny,’” Matsuzaki noted. This strange alignment allowed viewers to empathize with both Kaneko and Higashide, lending an extraordinary persuasiveness to his portrayal beyond just acting and role creation.
Furthermore, Matsuzaki commented, “Actors do not often encounter such roles in their lifetime. We are witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime encounter (ichigo ichie).” This underscores the uniqueness of the role Higashide played as Isamu Kaneko.
The film ‘Winny’ depicts the challenges and struggles of Isamu Kaneko, the developer of the file-sharing software ‘Winny,’ who was arrested by the Kyoto Prefectural Police in May 2004 on suspicion of aiding and abetting copyright infringement. The story follows his seven-year legal battle culminating in his acquittal. Kaneko passed away at the young age of 42 on July 6, 2012.
Higashide’s award highlights not only his acting prowess but also the significance of ‘Winny,’ a film that reflects a turning point in his own life. His compelling performance resonated deeply with the audience, mirroring the life of Isamu Kaneko and leaving a lasting impact, which is at the heart of his accolade.
